Summary:
This is when Oedipus already realizes that he has killed his father and married his mother. He cries out of sorrow and shame for his "foulest [deed] that can be in this world of ours" (1046-1047). Oedipus, out of desperation, deems himself and his act unfit, and begs that the Chorus, or society in general, to either hide him somewhere outside of the country, kill him or throw him into the sea. Meanwhile, he is convinced that no man except for himself can bear his "evil doom" (1415).
Then, Creon enters the toom to provide Oedipus with advice and assistance. He states that he is not there to provoke or further shame Oedipus, and tells Oedipus that if he is not remorseful about his sin, then the "Lord the Sun" (1426) Oedipus's pollution would prevent their land from accepting the holy rain or the light of day.
Afterwards, Oedipus asks Creon to expel him from the country, far from the city walls. However, Creon refuses to do so and decides to first beseech and discover the will of the God before committing himself to any action. Oedipus is certain that the God would want him dispatched of but Creon asserts that that is the intended result but he hopes to discover from the God, the course of action they must take.
Vocabulary:
Deign (1413) - to condescend
Lord the Son (1426) - Referrence to Apollo, God of the Sun. Son of Zeus and Leto (Nymph), twin brother of Artemis. Father of Orpheus and Asklepios.
Analysis:
Oedipus ironically mentions how he has performed the "foulest [of] deeds" (1406) and how he should be cast out of Thebes or killed, considering that he previously accused Creon and Teiresias of plotting against King Laius and was completely adamant against Teiresias's prophecy of him being the killer. This also serves another purpose of displaying the character differences between Oedipus and Creon. When Oedipus is accused of treason, he works himself up into a fit and curses and insults Teiresias and Creon, this displaying Oedipus's real nature and defensiveness that could be related to a subconcious sense of guilt and fear of being the actual perpetrator. After Creon is accused of treason and the truth is revealed that Oedipus is his mother's son and husband, he returns to Oedipus in a kind and merciful manner, to not "laugh at [him] nor taunt [him] with evil of the past" (1422-1423), but to find an appropriate and benignant way to handle the situation at hand when Oedipus is cruel to himself.
Summary:
This is when Oedipus already realizes that he has killed his father and married his mother. He cries out of sorrow and shame for his "foulest [deed] that can be in this world of ours" (1046-1047). Oedipus, out of desperation, deems himself and his act unfit, and begs that the Chorus, or society in general, to either hide him somewhere outside of the country, kill him or throw him into the sea. Meanwhile, he is convinced that no man except for himself can bear his "evil doom" (1415).
Then, Creon enters the toom to provide Oedipus with advice and assistance. He states that he is not there to provoke or further shame Oedipus, and tells Oedipus that if he is not remorseful about his sin, then the "Lord the Sun" (1426) Oedipus's pollution would prevent their land from accepting the holy rain or the light of day.
Afterwards, Oedipus asks Creon to expel him from the country, far from the city walls. However, Creon refuses to do so and decides to first beseech and discover the will of the God before committing himself to any action. Oedipus is certain that the God would want him dispatched of but Creon asserts that that is the intended result but he hopes to discover from the God, the course of action they must take.
Vocabulary:
Deign (1413) - to condescend
Lord the Son (1426) - Referrence to Apollo, God of the Sun. Son of Zeus and Leto (Nymph), twin brother of Artemis. Father of Orpheus and Asklepios.
Analysis:
Oedipus ironically mentions how he has performed the "foulest [of] deeds" (1406) and how he should be cast out of Thebes or killed, considering that he previously accused Creon and Teiresias of plotting against King Laius and was completely adamant against Teiresias's prophecy of him being the killer. This also serves another purpose of displaying the character differences between Oedipus and Creon. When Oedipus is accused of treason, he works himself up into a fit and curses and insults Teiresias and Creon, this displaying Oedipus's real nature and defensiveness that could be related to a subconcious sense of guilt and fear of being the actual perpetrator. After Creon is accused of treason and the truth is revealed that Oedipus is his mother's son and husband, he returns to Oedipus in a kind and merciful manner, to not "laugh at [him] nor taunt [him] with evil of the past" (1422-1423), but to find an appropriate and benignant way to handle the situation at hand when Oedipus is cruel to himself.
Works Cited:
"Deign." Webster's Pocket English Dictionary. Revised ed. Harrap Group, 1992.
De Traci Regula. "Fast Facts on Apollo." About. 21 Mar. 2007 <http://gogreece.about.com/cs/mythology/a/mythapollo.htm>.